The Twenty agree the system of exploitation of Galileo in 2014-2020

Science and techno world topic: Space

The Galileo system was designed to rival the American GPS. Galileo will begin offering its first services in 2014, according to Commission estimates, while EGNOS, the European satellite navigation system that helps increase the accuracy of civilian GPS service is already operating.

Photo:On a drive Russian Soyuz manufacturing, a satellite of the Galileo system enlists in French Guiana.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (07/JUN/2012.) - Ministers of Transport of the European Union (EU) today agreed guidelines on arrangements for implementation and operation of satellite navigation programs Galileo and EGNOS between 2014 and 2020, although not yet know the budget you will over that period. 

The Council of Ministers meeting in Luxembourg, discussed and approved a partial general approach, pending the EU to agree the next financial framework shall fix the amount to be allocated to these programs, for which the European Commission (EC) has proposed the equivalent of 138 thousand 321 million pesos.

Galileo, designed to rival the American GPS, will begin offering its first services in 2014, according to Commission estimates, while EGNOS, the European satellite navigation system that helps increase the accuracy of civilian GPS services, and is operational. 

The orientations of Ministers approved today for the management of Galileo and EGNOS are aimed at strengthening industrial policy and that European SMEs are more prominent role in the project. 

Contain rules on public procurement to ensure the widest possible participation of EU companies on equal terms. 

Precisely to ensure more space for SMEs, large companies involved in Galileo will have to subcontract part of the services they provide. 

With respect to the management of these programs, the ministers established the division of labor between the EC, the European Space Agency (ESA, in English) and the European agency of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). 

Thus, the EC would have overall responsibility for these programs, including funds management, organization and delegation of tasks, monitoring their implementation and security. 

Meanwhile, the agency will address GNSS tasks related to the exploitation phase of Galileo and EGNOS, including marketing of services and the implementation of safety procedures. 

Finally, ESA is responsible for public markets during the deployment phase of Galileo, and cooperate with the agency for GNSS exploitation of this program and EGNOS and, in particular with regard to technical support and future developments in this field.